Water-heating apparatus



D. J. MEISTER.

WATER HEATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, I920.

1,404,134, Patented Jan. 17,1922.

2 SHtETSSHEET I- D. J. MEISTER.

I WATER HEATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED .|ULY1,I920- 1,404,134. Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IIIiIIII'I'III/IIIIII.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WATER-HEATIN G APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedJan. 17, 1922.

Application filed July 1, 1920. Serial No. 393,261.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, DANIEL J. MEIsTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in W ater-Heating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved water heating apparatus designed especially for domestic use in connection with stoves or ranges constructed to burn natural or manufactured gas, or any liquid hydrocarbon fuel.

Heretofore it has been customary to 1nstall in homes a Well-known type of water heater comprising a heating coil enclosed Within a casing in which is also ai'ranged a gas burner, the water heated in the coil being delivered to a hot water tank from which it may be drawn as required. Such burners have ,been constructed so as to produce a relatively large flame and consequently they consume a considerable amount of gas, this amount of gas being in addition to that consumed by the kitchen cooking stove or range. I t is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide as a substitute for the ordinary coil and its associated burner a water heating apparatus including one or more heating chambers which may be associated directly with the burner or burners of the stove so that the flame produced by the burning of the gas or other fuel supplied to the burner will not only serve to heat the water chamber but also to heat any utensil and its contents which may be disposed above the burner in the ordinary manner. Therefore the invention contemplates a great saving in fuel inasmuch as a single burner, while being employed for the cooking of food stufi's, will serve also as a heating mediuni for producing a quantity of hot water.

A further object of the invention is to providean apparatus of the general description given above which may embrace and desired number of units or water chambers thus adapting the invention for use in connection with stoves, ranges, or hot plates embodying I any number of burners which it may be desired to utilize for the purpose.

A further object of the invention is to so construct each unit of the apparatus as to provide for a continuous circulation of water therein and thereby prevent the accumulation of sediment with a consequent clogging and eventual burning out of the unit.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating one embodiment of the invention employed in connection with a gas range;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the units and the burner with associated Fig. 3 is a vertical diametric sectional view through one of the units;

Fig. 4 is a view partly in top plan and partly in horizontal section illustrating one of the units.

Each of the heating units above referred to comprises a water chamber 1 which in the present instance is of annular form and circular in cross section as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and -i-of the drawings although it will be understood that this chamber may be of any other open geometrical form such for example asrectangular, triangular, etc. In its outer side the chamber 1 is provided, preferably although not necessarily, at diametrically opposite points, with nipples 2 and 3 into which may be fitted the ends of water inlet and outlet pipes indicated respectively by the numerals 4 and 5. The chamber is provided with any suitable numwhich it is to be ber of legs or brackets 6 which preferably project radially from the outer side thereof and which may be of any desired form to adapt their outer or lower ends to rest upon or be connected with the open top or grate 7, of the stove, which lies above the burner indicated by the numeral 8. This burner is of the ordinary type and at this point it may be stated that the apparatus may comprise but a single one of the units or a plurality of the units in which latter event the units will be connected up in any desired manner, one example being illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The number of units will depend upon the number of burners which are to be utilized in connection with the apparatus of the invention and it will be understood that one unit is to be placed above each of such burners. Ordinarily the burners of a gas stove or range are of the annular form illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings and it will be preferable to so position the unit 1 that the annular water chamber thereof will .be located directly above and in spaced relation to the annular body of the respective burner so thatthe said chamber will be in position to have the flames from the burner impinge thereagainst.

Each unit comprises, in addition to its annular water chamber, a plurality of water tubes indicated-in general by the numeral 9. These tubes are united as for example by welding, to the water chamber at the inner side of the latter and project radially inwardly as clearly shown in Figs;- 2 and 4 of the drawings, the tubes at their ends which connect with the water chamber being open and placed in communication with the interior of the said chamber by openings 10 formed in the said inner side of the chamber. Each of the water tubes 9 is divided by a diametric and longitudinally extending.

partition 11 which terminates at its inner end short of the adjacent end of the water tube 9 which is closed as at 12, so as to form a by-pass passage 13. The partition 11 is horizontally disposed and consequently divides the interior of the respective water tube into an upper passage 14 and a lower passage 15. The said partition likewise divides the opening 10 so that water heated within the annular water chamber will flow along the passage 15, through the by-pass 13, into the passage 14, and thence back into the water chamber. In thismanner a continuous circulation of water is set up and maintained while the apparatus isin use and therefore sediment is prevented from accumulating within the water tubes and the water chamber. Each chamber may be pro vided with any desired number of water tubes and the tubes may be arranged in any manner found most desirable, and inasmuch as they project radially inwardly from the inner side of the chamber, they too will be subjected to the flames from the burner.

The partitions 11 may be secured in place in anysuitable manner and for this purpose the open end of each water'tube may be notched at diametrically opposite points as at 16 and the corresponding end of the partition may be struck out to provide portions 17 engaging in the notches.

Fig. 1 of the drawings illustrates one mannerin which the apparatus of the present invention may be installed and in this figure the numeral 18 indicates in general an ordinary gas range above the burners of which are disposed the several units of the a paratus. The numeral 19 indicates a coi d watersupply pipe which may be provided with a cut-off valve 20 and this pipe communicates with or is e uivalent to the inlet pipe 4 heretofore descri d and consequently supplies cold water to one of the heating units. When the burners are lighted the water heated in this unit will pass through the other units and finally out through a pipe 21 which may correspond to the pipe 5 heretofore referred to. The said pipe 21 discharges into the upper portion of a hot water storage tank 22, and cold water from the bottom of this tank is led by a branch 23 to the pipe 19 so as to maintain a constant circulation through the system. Of course, so long as there is an adequate supply of water within the storage tank 22, the valve 20 may remain closed but the supply may be replenished at any time by opening this valve. In orderthat the quantity of water within the tank may be ascertained at a glance, a water gage 24 is provided in connection with the tank. Hot water is to be drawn ofi' from the tank through a pipe 25 which extends into the tank preferably through the top thereof and downwardly beside the tank, being provided at its lower end with a suitable spigot 26.

In the claims I will refer to the water chamber comprisin the heating unit as of annular form but l intend that this term shall be taken in its broadest sense so as to include any chamber of open or ring like form whether it be annular, rectangular, triangular, or of any other geometrical configuration.

It is preferable that the member 7 be provided upon its upper side with a number of small supporting lugs indicated by the numeral 7 which lugs will serve to support the bottom of the cooking utensil, disposed thereon, spaced a suitable distance above the upper side of the said member 7 so as to permit of the ready passage of heated air currents about the bottom and sides of the said utensil.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. The combination with a fuel burner having a stationary top; of a chambered ring-shaped member havin inlet and outlet ports adapted for connection with a water circulating system, said member being providedfwith centerward extending tubular fingers closed at their extreme ends and opening into the chamber of said member and there provided with a pair of notches at their horizontal diameter, a horizontal partition inserted in each finger extending short of said closed end and constructed to engage said notches; knee-shaped legs integral with said member and projecting radially therefrom and extending below said membe'r in order to supportthe me ber upon said top and in spaced relation thereto.

2. The combination with a fuel burner having a stationary top;- of a chambered ring-shaped member having inlet and outlet ports adapted for connection with a water circulating system, said member being provided, with centerward extending tubular opening into the chamber of said member and there provided with a pair of notches at their horizontal diameter, a horizontal partition inserted in each finger extending short of said closed end and constructed to engage said notches; knee-shaped legs integral with said member and projecting radially therefrom and extending below said member in order to support the member upon said top and in spaced relation 10 DANIEL JOSEPH MEISTER. [L.s.] 

